Enticing Alliances
by SixEcho
Summary: Two unlikely heros, Chloe and Lex, voluteer for a daring rescue mission that goes incredibly wrong.
1. Thing in the Sewer

Title: Enticing Alliances  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. The closest I got was when my friend's sister saw Michael Rosenbaum at a restaurant.  
  
Rating: PG13  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 1: The Thing in the Sewer  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex Luthor sat at his desk... actually he was in more of a hunched over position, fast asleep, with his head resting on a pile of papers. His slumber though, was short-lived as a shrill tone pierced through the air.  
  
The young man swore out loudly before cracking open an eyelid. With as much coordination as he could muster, he got up and shuffled around the folders and files on his desk to find his cell phone.  
  
"What?" He half snapped, half mumbled into the small device.  
  
"M-Mr Luthor? I'm sorry to disturb you but-"  
  
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Lex growled, reaching for his cold cup of coffee, a tell tale sign that he'd been working late. Again.  
  
"It's 10 am sir," the man responded carefully.  
  
"Oh..." Lex's face contorted at the really bad tasting coffee, " well... what's the problem?"  
  
"There's a situation down in sector three. Something is trapped down in the sewer system, it's the same sewer that we need to flood this afternoon." The worker explained.  
  
"Why are you telling me about this? Call Gabe, it's *his* problem... what exactly is trapped down there anyway?" Lex asked, smoothing out his wrinkled suit and thanking God that he didn't have to worry about early morning hair issues.  
  
"Gabe was delayed in Metropolis, we called his home but his kid didn't know how to reach him either. As for the thing in the sewer..." the man trailed off.  
  
"Yes?" Lex prompted, grabbing his keys and heading for his car.  
  
"We think it's a child."  
  
Lex stopped dead in his tracks, "What? A child?! Did you call the fire department?"  
  
There was a pause, "Oh... I should call the fire department?" the man asked.  
  
"Yes, you moron! Now try keep this situation under wraps, and whatever you do *don't* flood the sewer. It would make really bad press if we killed a child. I'll be there in ten minutes."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*  
  
"You don't understand, my dad works here... and Lex Luthor is a friend of a friend!" Chloe explained to the huge security guard that stood in her path. She was trapped behind a piece of yellow tape, set up by the police that ran along the perimeter of the small field. A few other reporters gathered beside her in the chilly air waiting for tidbits of information to leak out.  
  
"You stay," the guard ordered.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes, and pulled her jacket tighter around her, "I see now... you speak dumbass. Let me translate. Me reporter, me report news. Me go in and see your bald boss Lex Luthor."  
  
The guard ignored her and Chloe grunted in frustration, before moving off to the side to get a better look at the situation. A somewhat rumpled Luthor stood beside an assortment of fire fighters and factory workers, all looking down a giant black manhole in the middle of the field. An intense scene.  
  
"I don't know what going on... but I *will* find out..." Chloe mumbled to herself defiantly before cautiously slipping under the tape.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"It's a three year old!" the factory worker exclaimed.  
  
"No, it's a baby!" the firefighter argued fervently.  
  
"How would a baby climb down a sewer?"  
  
"The same way a three year old would!"  
  
Lex sighed and gritted his teeth, "Both of you, shut up!" Carefully, he bent down on his knees to the manhole and listened carefully. There was a short loud burst of sound, followed by a low whine.  
  
"You idiots! It's a damn dog!" Lex snapped, getting up and dusting off his suit.  
  
"A- a dog?" The two men asked simultaneously. They listened again closely, then nodded in agreement.  
  
"Flood it." Lex ordered, heading back to his car.  
  
"You're going to let the dog die in the sewer??" Chloe yelled, coming into view.  
  
"What the...?" Lex looked surprised at the interruption. "How did you get in here?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr Luthor... I don't know how she got past." the security guard said, grabbing Chloe by the back of her jacket and pulling her up.  
  
"Wait." Lex ordered. "Bring her here."  
  
Chloe glared at Lex, "You can tell your boyfriend to put me down now."  
  
Lex glared at her before nodding at the guard who immediately let her go and retreated.  
  
"How much of that did you hear?" He asked at a level only she could hear.  
  
"Everything. Just because it's a dog and not a child, you're willing to sacrifice it's life?" Chloe hissed angrily.  
  
Lex paused for a moment, "Yes."  
  
The girl's jaw dropped jaw dropped, "But it's a dog... it has feelings, emotions, intelligence..."  
  
"The stupid creature fell down a manhole, how intelligent could it be?" Lex snapped.  
  
"Well, if *your* workers hadn't left it open in the first place, this could have been avoided." Chloe pointed out.  
  
"Maybe the mutt is just suicidal! Did you ever think of that? Maybe it travels around the world throwing itself in front of speeding cars, running into burning buildings and falling down manholes on purpose!" Lex's voice elevated with every word. He didn't mean for it to, but his day had just gone from bad to worse and he was in no mood for an argument.  
  
Chloe raised an eyebrow, "Late night, huh?" The man's glare remain unchanged, so she continued brazenly.  
  
"You know that killing a dog generally brings bad press, and don't think I won't tell the whole story. Lex Luthor: Animal Hater... has an evil ring to it." Chloe said, folding her arms.  
  
Lex glared at her, knowing full well that she was right. Those animal activists would be all over it...  
  
"Fine," Lex grunted, "Go save the dog." he ordered the fireman. He wasn't giving in... merely rethinking the situation and coming up with another solution.  
  
"We can't, sir." the fireman stated, hauling out a diagram.  
  
"You see there are two levels; we need two people for the job, and none of my men can fit through the second entrance because it's too small."  
  
Lex sighed, "Can't we make the entrance *bigger*?"  
  
"That could take hours, the animal would be dead by then. I've called for help from Metropololis..." the man explained.  
  
"...but that will also take hours," Lex finished off. He sighed and decided to fix the problem himself.  
  
"Fine. I'll go in." Lex stated, taking off his jacket.  
  
"You're.. you're to big Mr Luthor." the fireman said in a polite a way as possible.  
  
"I can go in." Chloe offered, stepping between the two men.  
  
Lex ignored her and turned to the fireman, "Don't you have anyone else on your team small enough to fit through the second level? Who designed these sewers anyway? Whoever they are, they're fired, effective as of now."  
  
"Hello? Willing body, standing right here! I'm smaller than anyone else, so let me do it." Chloe stated.  
  
"You're not going in, Sullivan. Forget about it. Gabe would kill me." Lex explained slowly for her benefit.  
  
"Listen, Luthor," Chloe spat, "I'm not doing this for *you* I'm doing this to help the poor defenceless dog that's trapped down a manhole you created. The least you could do is thank me."  
  
"You know she *is* small enough..." the fireman contemplated. "She might be our only hope."  
  
Lex thought for a second, wondering whether or not to risk it. After what seemed like ages, he came to a decision.  
  
"Fine, if she's going, then I'll go in too, and if we both die saving a stupid dog, I hope that's what people remember us for." The billionaire nodded to himself in satisfaction.  
  
"You wouldn't have to go in, Mr Luthor." the fireman said quickly, "We just need someone for level two, I could get one of my other men to-"  
  
"I'd never ask someone to do anything I wasn't willing to do myself," Lex spat, "Now go get us overalls and cables.... " Lex saw the man hesitate, "I meant now!"  
  
Chloe watched the fireman scurry of and she smirked at the young, pissed off billionaire. "I see why my father loves working for you now."  
  
"Gabe is competent, unlike most of the people working for me." Lex admitted, noticing for the first time how tired Chloe looked too.  
  
"Don't tell me you had a late night too? Do you need something?" He asked, regaining a little of his civility. It was hard to be civil in a suit you slept in.  
  
"I'm fine... I just spent the night rewriting articles for the Torch because my stupid laptop crashed," she mumbled. "Then I get woken up with a call from your people telling me there's an urgent situation and my dad needs to get down to sector three immediately."  
  
"Which would explain how you found out about this." Lex nodded in understanding, "I apologize for the rude awakening you received."  
  
"It's nothing a good exclusive on this story won't fix?" Chloe hinted, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"There's not going to be a story. As far as everyone else is concerned there was a minor leakage problem, nothing newsworthy." Lex stated carefully, making sure that Chloe understood his meaning.  
  
"You want me to cover this up? Lex Luthor risks his life to save a puppy and you want me to cover it up?" Chloe asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes." The young man replied. He saw a frown grow on the girl's face.  
  
"I've never covered up a story before and I don't intend to start now." Chloe said defiantly.  
  
Just then fireman returned, laden with gadgets. Lex grabbed two black overalls and tossed one to Chloe. He was going to have to convince her not to write an article about this. The last thing he wanted was more reporters... more questions...  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lex asked once more as he quickly attached the cable to himself securely.  
  
"You don't have to worry about me," Chloe announced, trying unsuccessfully to clip on the gadgets. The belt that stretched over her upper body didn't seem to fit into place.  
  
"Here, give that to me." Lex ordered, taking the belt from her fingers and pulling them tightly around her waist.  
  
"Jeez, I do have a few vital organs down there," Chloe commented, to cover up the strangeness of having Lex Luthor fiddle with a buckle around her waist.  
  
"I intend on keeping you alive, Sullivan. That involves making sure these cables won't come loose." he smirked.  
  
"It's good to know you care," Chloe rolled her eyes pushing him away, "I can do this myself."  
  
"Are you two ready?" The fireman asked. "He took out a double sided metal hook and connected one end to the front of Lex's belt and the other to the back of Chloe's belt.  
  
"Hey, what's this for?" Chloe asked, suddenly aware that she was attached to Lex Luthor at the back.  
  
"With the way the sewer is constructed, the safest way to descend is parallel to the ground... like on Mission Impossible" the fireman added attaching the main cable to a belt on Lex's back.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," Lex stated, turning to the man hole. The sudden jolt caused Chloe to almost loose her footing.  
  
"Watch where you're going!" she snapped, quickly regaining her balance. "Actually, you should watch where *I'm* going because since I'm in the front, I'll be going in first."  
  
"Actually I'm in control here, seeing as how the main cable is on my belt and you're attached to me." Lex countered.  
  
"Are we going to do this or not?" Chloe snapped, a little tension getting in her way.  
  
"Fine, Sullivan. Go ahead." Lex sighed, matching his steps to hers so she wouldn't fall into him. God knows what she'd do to him if that happened.  
  
"Okay... we're going in." Chloe stated, coming to the edge of the manhole. "Does this feel like a really bad action movie, or is it just me?"  
  
"Usually the hero is out saving the world instead of descending into a sewer to save a dog." Lex commented. He put an arm around Chloe's waist tentatively.  
  
"We'll jump on three, okay? One... two."  
  
"Wait!" Chloe said, "Did you mean on three or wait for three then jump?"  
  
"Listen to instructions, Sullivan, I said *on* three," Lex said with a smirk.  
  
"Jeez, it was a simple question, no need to- aaaahh!" Chloe screeched as Lex jumped without warning.  
  
When the cable snapped into place and Chloe realised she was still alive she turned her head around and tried unsuccessfully to whack the man behind her.  
  
"You idiot! I could have died!" she yelled, the echo spread across the large empty space that descended for what seemed like miles beneath them.  
  
"Don't worry, Sullivan. I've got your back," Lex smirked, moving her body so that it was parallel to the ground then shifting directly behind her in mid air.  
  
"That's exactly what I was worried about." Chloe mumbled. They both spread their arms out in a way similar to that of two skydivers. Except of course, they were in a sewer.  
  
"Keep the cable coming," he said into the ear piece.  
  
Chloe glanced at the young man who was inches away from her back. It wasn't as unpleasant as she thought it would be. Of course it was dark and scary, but not entirely unpleasant.  
  
"So why didn't I get the cool earpiece?" Chloe asked in mock irritation.  
  
"Because you got to carry the flashlight," Lex explained.  
  
"I have a flash light? Where?" Chloe checked the overall's pockets and felt the solid handle.  
  
"Here, give it to me." Lex ordered, trying to take it away from her.  
  
"No! You already have the cool earpiece!" Chloe argued.  
  
"Yes, but I'm older than you, I should have the flashlight too," Lex reasoned carefully.  
  
"What? That makes no sense, you're just on an eternal power struggle aren't you? Now let go before it-"  
  
The flashlight slipped from their fingers and plummeted into the blackness.  
  
"...drops."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Okay, so what did you think? Should I continue this one? 


	2. Obscure Proposals

Chapter 2: Obscure Proposals  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Great going Sullivan." Lex snapped into the darkness.  
  
Chloe spun her head around but didn't manage to quite fully face the man hanging by a cable behind her.  
  
"Do *not* blame this on me! If you'd just stop the whole ego trip..." Chloe trailed off, realising that arguing wasn't going to get either of them anywhere.  
  
"You know what?" Chloe stated, "We can yell at each other later. Right now we've got a dog to rescue."  
  
Lex gritted his teeth, annoyed that he hadn't been the one to end the conflict, "Fine. We're almost at the entrance on the second level. It's not that deep, you just need to pull your upper body through the opening and grab the dog."  
  
Chloe felt around the darkness as her hand made contact with the steel edge of the opening, "Here it is... they weren't lying when they said it was small." she mumbled.  
  
"Can you do it or not?" Lex asked, somewhat impatiently as Chloe stuck her head and arms through the opening.  
  
"No problem... if I reach a little further... I think I can... yes!" the girl exclaimed in triumph.  
  
"What? Did you get the dog?" Lex asked, securing his arm around Chloe's legs... just in case.  
  
"No," she said re-emerging, "But I found the flashlight you dropped."  
  
"The flashlight that *we* dropped," Lex corrected, his comment was blatantly ignored by the blonde girl.  
  
Chloe turned the light on and illuminated the dank column they were in. "Eeeew..." she stated looking at the green goo spilling of the sides.  
  
"So that's where the smell was coming from, and here I was thinking it was your new cologne." Chloe quipped, handing the flashlight to Lex carefully.  
  
"I'm not surprised... with the men you dated, I hardly think you'd know the smell of quality cologne." Lex returned, holding the flashlight into the dark hole. He wasn't entirely sure if he wanted Chloe to go in there.  
  
"Can we please not talk about the men I've had the misfortune of dating?" Chloe asked rolling her eyes as she descended further into the darkness. Strangely enough she wasn't too scared, especially since the man above her had a lethal grip around her legs- just in case.  
  
"Why? Sensitive topic?" Lex smirked as Chloe peered around the second level.  
  
"Very. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but all the guys I date are jerks. Or else they're just really clueless. Anyway, why don't we talk about the wonderful article I'm going to write about this rescue mission instead?" Chloe asked, still searching for the dog. She wasn't about to have a heart to heart with Lex Luthor.  
  
Lex shifted his arms around her legs to get a better hold, "Can't you just drop *one* story? It's not going to kill your career or anything... I'll do you a favour in return?" he suggested. There was no way he could let Chloe write about *this*.  
  
Chloe paused, still hanging upside down. The conversation had just taken an interesting turn...  
  
"What? Like an interview?" she asked curiously.  
  
"No!" Lex stated, thinking hard. What could he do for Chloe that nobody else could?  
  
"I think I have a suggestion..." Lex stated.  
  
"I'm listening." Chloe prompted, shifting aside pieces of metal plates that were lying around to get a better look around the dank sewer.  
  
"I'll help you find a boyfriend!" Lex stated confidently. He couldn't exactly offer to bribe her, and despite popular belief he wasn't going to threaten a sixteen year old into secrecy.  
  
Chloe's laugh echoed around them, "What are you? Smallville's pimp?"  
  
"I'd rather not use that term," Lex said, "Is it wrong to help friends with their relationships? Especially since you'd be doing me a favour in return?"  
  
"Firstly you're not my friend and secondly it's an impossible job, you'd never be able to find be a guy." Chloe stated. She couldn't believe she was discussing this with Lex.  
  
"You're just going about it wrong, I could get you a guy in a week, and I wouldn't have to pay his either!" Lex returned.  
  
"So in return for finding me Mr Right, I'll be sworn to secrecy? I don't know, I guess I'll have to think about-" the girl stopped when her eye caught a slight movement.  
  
"Chloe? What's wrong?" Lex asked, "Do you see it?"  
  
"Yeah, she's in the corner... poor thing, she looks so scared." Chloe's voice filled with compassion for the poor creature. It's brown hair was matted and its ear was torn and bloody.  
  
"Well grab the stupid thing and lets get the hell out of here." Lex ordered.  
  
"I can't reach her." Chloe sighed in frustration extending her arms as far as she could in vain. Maybe she could call it over.  
  
"Come here honey... it's okay, we're here to help you... good girl... we love you so much... who's a pretty girl? Come here sweet-"  
  
"Get over here you stupid animal!" Lex bellowed. The small dog retreated further into its corner and Chloe sighed.  
  
"Thank you Dr Evil, I'll be needing more cable to reach her now."  
  
"We need more cable," Lex said into the earpiece, "What do you mean there's no more?!"  
  
Chloe pulled herself out of the second level next to Lex and thought for a second, "Do you think you can support my weight?"  
  
"I could..." Lex stated, unsure of where the girl was heading with this.  
  
There was only one way to save the dog, and if that meant sacrificing a little of her dignity, then she'd do it.  
  
"Good. I have a plan. Anything that happens from this point onwards should in no way be construed as a sexual act." Chloe stated.  
  
Slowly, she twisted herself around so that her face was opposite Lex's. She then tentatively hung her arm around his shoulder and hooked her legs around his waist.  
  
"Um...?" Lex mumbled, growing more uncomfortable by the second.  
  
"Don't worry, everything's under control." she said into his ear as she unhooked the metal clamp between them so that she could move freely.  
  
"What are you doing, Sullivan?!" Lex snapped, immediately grabbing her back so she wouldn't fall.  
  
"I'm going to let go of you by my arms and hang onto you by my legs, okay?" Chloe said, cringing at how bad the sentence had sounded.  
  
"Alright." Lex said, moving his hand away from her back and resisting the urge to smirk. He shifted so that Chloe's upper body reached fully into the opening and held onto the jagged metal edges to support her weight.  
  
With a quick motion, Chloe picked up the dog and held it close to her. It was shivering slightly as she pulled herself out of the second level. It was definitely a puppy, a very dark, dirty puppy who looked extremely nervous.  
  
"Okay, I got her." the girl said, holding onto Lex's shoulders again.  
  
"Great. Pull us up." Lex ordered into the earpiece. He glanced warily at the animal that wriggled between them.  
  
"Are you sure that's a dog? It looks like an overgrown rat." he stated. "Smells like one too."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes, "Will you just get us out of here?"  
  
"No problem," Lex stated with a smirk. The situation was resolved.. now all he had to do was make sure Chloe accepted his obscure proposal to find her a soul mate. Easier said than done.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please review! 


End file.
